All Yours
by shesBLAZING
Summary: AU. "The most important thing to remember," my mother always told me, "is to never fall in love." Two strangers meet, and nothing is the same afterwards.
1. Chapter 1

**All Yours**

By: shesblazing

Summary: AU. "The most important thing to remember," my mother always told me, "is to never fall in love." Two strangers meet, and nothing is the same afterwards.

A/N: I started writing this ages ago; finally picked it up again today. Let's see where it goes.

* * *

**i. ****Brittany**

"The most important thing to remember," my mother always told me, "is to never fall in love."

"No matter how hard you try, love will chew you up and spit you out without even caring. Whoever it is will end up hurting you. They'll break your heart. Brittany, honey, don't be too trusting."

She would say the words softly, usually before bedtime as she sat behind me and helped brush my hair. Her voice was quiet as she moved my hairbrush in the regular, even strokes that always felt so soothing. I tried hard to listen, figure out what it was she was trying to tell me, though I didn't really understand what they meant then. I was still just a girl who knew next to nothing about the world beyond my bedroom and weekly dance classes at the local studio. Everything was still so simple. It would take me a long time and it wasn't until I was a little older, when Mom wasn't around anymore, that I finally got it.

That it was more than just motherly advice.

That it was a warning.

And that she was right.

* * *

I met Santana when I was still working nights at the diner downtown. It was in an older part of the city that didn't really see a lot of people, despite being only a few blocks away from some new developments. I had already been working there for awhile; because college wasn't cheap, even if you had a scholarship. Sometimes things happen that you don't expect. Life happens. Another lesson my mother taught me: You have to work for what you want.

Even now I can remember it all so clearly, like it was just the other day. A grey and stormy Tuesday in the dead of winter is what it was. As strange as it might sound, there wasn't any snowfall that year—only a cold, dreary rain that could reach into your bones really deep, if you didn't watch out. I always did.

On that evening, the one when she walked into my life and altered it forever, I hadn't felt the chill yet. I was still just a normal girl, living a normal life, finishing up my shift on what was just another Tuesday. The last regulars had already left, followed by our old fry cook, all of them grumbling about the weather as they bundled up and filed outside.

"See you later, Britt," they chimed, one by one. After waving them off with a smile, I was getting ready to close the till when the bells on the front door jingled suddenly and a lone figure stepped into the diner.

It was her.

Looking back now, it seems strange that although I didn't know her yet, for some reason something inside me sensed immediately—as in, literally, the _moment_ she came in—that everything I knew was about to change.

When I glanced up from the register, it took me a second to process just how beautiful the person in front of me was.

She stood there silently, staring at me in a weirdly intense way with eyes that seemed as dark as that night's empty sky. Her hair was wet and tangled from the rain, starting to curl in slight waves around her shoulders. I saw her breathe in and out deeply, like she had just been running. Raindrops sparkled like tiny stars as they melted one by one into the black overcoat she wore. Her bottom lip was bleeding.

Under my server's uniform and beneath my breast, I could feel my heart start to thud; it was a beat I didn't recognize. I knew I should have told her that we were closed for the night but the words wouldn't come out of my mouth when I opened it to speak. I couldn't think about anything. All I could hear in my head was the loud crack of thunder outside in the street; where this person—this girl, who I thought might be around the same age as me—had just come from.

By then I was too old to still believe in fairytales or bedtime stories, but it felt like I was in some kind of a dream. _Why didn't I feel more afraid?_

She took a single step towards me, holding her hands up with both palms facing outward as if in surrender. As if she thought I might run; or scream, maybe. But I was frozen. Even under the bright lights of the diner, I couldn't look away from her gaze—God, what was it about those piercing eyes so dark and deep, swallowing me whole—holding me in place, utterly transfixed.

Then, in a low and measured tone, she said the two words that have haunted me ever since: "They're coming."

And this is how our story begins.


	2. Chapter 2

**All Yours**

By: shesblazing

A/N: Still trying to find time to write. Thanks to those who've reviewed or sent messages – those are what remind me to keep updating. Here's today's chapter.

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**ii. ****Santana**

I didn't want to scare her.

Those fuckers had been chasing me for close to half an hour by then. I wasn't tired yet, not by a longshot, not even after the fight—but on that night, in that God-awful weather, torrential rain pouring down in buckets and leaving me drenched worse than someone's pet dog that they had let loose swimming in a lake somewhere, I needed a place to duck into and figure out my next move.

So I slipped inside the coffee shop. Or diner, if you want to be more exact.

It was a little place right on the corner. A nice, ordinary-looking building that I probably wouldn't have noticed even if I was familiar with this part of town. The lights inside were still on and that was what caught my attention, I guess. Standing across the dimly lit street, with my back pressed against the brick wall of the side alley, I had watched as a large group of people came out all at once. They stood huddled together like sardines for a minute, staring gloomily into the night before breaking off and going their separate ways.

I waited until the last person was out of sight. Then, turning up my collar and shoving my hands deep into my coat pockets, I looked cautiously in all directions to make sure there was no one around. _Careful, Lopez. Stay close to the shadows, just in case. They're still after you._

With that thought in mind, I quickly made my way over to the diner, trying to beat the rain. It was coming down worse than ever at that point, and unless my eyes were deceiving me, there was even a flash of lightning overhead. I must have stepped in half a dozen quickly forming puddles by the time I got to the entrance and pushed open the front door, throwing one last glance over my shoulder.

* * *

The first thing that hit me was the warmth.

The back of my neck was still cold from the rain, and the fact that my hair was soaked really wasn't helping—but the second I stepped inside the building, I just had this strange feeling, like—like, I don't know… like things were going to work themselves out somehow.

Making sure the door was firmly shut behind me, I did a quick scan of the place before turning my attention to the only other person who seemed to be there: a waitress standing behind the main counter with her head bowed, long blonde hair obscuring her face as she locked up the register. _Must be closing time_, I mused.

Steeling myself, I clenched my fists in my pockets and trained my eyes on the girl as I waited for her to look up. When she finally did, I almost had to take a step back, I was so surprised.

This girl was gorgeous.

From where I was standing a few feet away, I could tell at a glance that she was tall. Slender, too. She had the build of a ballerina, graceful and statuesque even when half-obscured. My gaze was drawn to her face. Her skin was smooth and pale; her lips were half-parted as if she was about to speak; and her eyes… her eyes… did I mention her eyes? They were this amazing shade of blue that I had never seen before. It was looking at the ocean on a clear day for the very first time. And the ocean—no, _she_—was looking right back, pulling me in.

Of course, I didn't say any of this out loud.

Inwardly snapping myself out of that unexpected trance, I tried to clear my head. There wasn't any time for detailed explanations. Now that I was actually in the presence of another person, I got the uncomfortable feeling that walking into this place was a mistake. Hot on my trail, I knew they would come in here sooner rather than later, weapons out, looking for me. This girl could not be around when that happened. She had already seen me. Unintentionally or not, I had just put her into danger. I had to get her out of here somehow. So I did the first thing I could think of in this situation: I told her the truth.

It was only much later that Brittany told me how badly I had scared her when I first said those words aloud. "They're coming." _Listen,_ _I don't mean to startle you; but some people are on their way over here. They're… searching for me, and they're not afraid to hurt anyone who gets in their way. They could be here at any minute. You have to leave this place right now._

How could I have known that this would be the start? This was the moment. Sometimes I think back and wish that I had never walked into that empty diner and gotten her mixed up in this insanity. Unplanned as it all was, everything that happened afterwards was still my fault. But then, I think of what we had…what we found together…and I don't know what to feel anymore.

At that moment, I only wanted to protect this girl from the danger that was probably on its way. Get us both out of there on the double, with as few questions asked as possible. Naturally, it was here I first learned that Brittany was the curious type. Our first meeting. Of course.

She looked at me like I was half-crazy, though I could sense the sudden nervousness coming off of her in waves. To her credit, she tried not to show it.

"Um… I was just closing up, actually."

So I was right, then. I responded while keeping one eye on the nearest window, which still had its blinds slightly open.

"Oh… good. Well, that's perfect. Don't let me get in your way."

Then,

"Shouldn't we call the police? If someone's after you, that can't be good." She said it so calmly, I had to admire her.

I looked back at her, debating what to say. Before I could answer, out of the corner of my eye I saw a shadow pass over the window blinds at the far side of the diner. Then someone outside starting shouting, and I knew the bastards were here. _Damn it._

Taking two strides forward, I jumped over the cleared counter so we were side by side. Then, on instinct, I crouched down, pulling her down alongside me. Pressing a finger to my lips, I stared into her eyes, which were still ocean blue, but also now widening with obvious fear. My hand was wrapped around her wrist and I could feel her own pulse beating. Her skin was warm beneath my fingertips.

She was breathing erratically, with her gaze now focused on the floor. I could tell she was about to lose it.

Trying to steady her, I held her wrist tighter.

"Hey… hey... look at me, "I whispered quietly. "Don't be scared."

When she finally turned to face me again, I tried to smile. It was hard, knowing what I would probably have to ask this completely innocent stranger to do next. Still, I tried to look for another way out.

"We've only got a few seconds until they come in through the front. Is there another exit out of the diner? Maybe through the kitchen?"

The look on her face told me that there wasn't. I let out a sigh, but to my surprise, she beat me to what I was going to say next.

It was accompanied by a sudden change in her eyes. A look of intensity appeared to take over and her entire body straightened up with determination as she said to me,

"I guess I'll just have to tell them you're not here."

And, before I was able to say anything back, she stood up.

Just as the front door of the diner swung open, the sounds of bells and heavy footsteps ringing in the air.


End file.
